Ecojustice

Ecojustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity, uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment for all.

Our team of experts partners with community groups, environmental organizations, and individuals across Canada to hold governments and polluters to account. We launch strategic, innovative public interest lawsuits that lead to legal precedents that deliver lasting solutions to our most urgent environmental problems. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we represent every one of our clients free of charge. Together, we’re building the case for a better earth.

While we're pleased that federal and provincial regulators finally took action and laid charges against Plains Midstream, the size and nature of the settlements is somewhat disconcerting. It raises a number of questions and once again sheds light on the major weaknesses in Canada's environmental law and enforcement framework.

We are mystified that with so much at stake, with the risks of this project being so high, the board would quibble over nine days. We would have expected the board to err on the side of good process and give Kinder Morgan the extra time to answer the questions that have been asked by municipalities, landowners, local businesses, First Nations and environmental organizations.

While the Alberta Energy Regulator has made regulatory orders in some cases, no charges have been laid related to any of the oil spills that made headlines last summer. And for the most part, the public remains in the dark about how those spills have affected their communities and the environment. As the AER enters its second year, it has a golden opportunity to live up to its big promises.

B.C. is home to 75 per cent of Canada's bird species, 70 per cent of its freshwater fish species and 66 per cent of its butterfly species. More 1,900 of these species are at-risk. A staggering 87 per cent these don't receive any protection under provincial or federal laws.

It seems that the federal government decided to leave the "action" out of its killer whale draft action plan. The result is a vague, disappointing plan that is legally and scientifically inadequate to meet four key recovery outcomes.

The review process for Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has stripped away valuable opportunities for public input to ensure that the entire review process takes no more than 15 months. Unlike the review process for the proposed Northern Gateway, there will be no cross-examination of evidence or oral hearings in affected communities.